Flip the script: “What’s your goal today?”

A simple question makes for a happier clinic.

The first question patients are often asked when they walk into the clinic is, How are you going to pay? It’s a question that benefits the institution—while putting immediate distance between it and the patient. When the first interaction is transactional, it sets a cold tone for the entire visit.

Switching the payment question for a patient-focused one could kick start a powerful culture change in the clinic. By asking “What is your goal today?” clinics would be putting a patient’s needs first. When patients share their expectations immediately and they’re captured for the entire visit, the door opens for a meaningful dialogue.

To be truly successful, What’s your goal? needs to be the start of a more comprehensive culture shift that prioritizes the patient. With leadership on board, effective customer service should be wrapped into every decision from deciding on new hires to how patients are triaged. The goal is bigger than just patient satisfaction; What’s your goal today? aims for a medical space that feels deeply rewarding for everyone involved.